Jones Day reinforces with Rajah, Orrick captures

While other US firms are pulling out of Singapore, Jones Day Reavis & Pogue is bucking the trend by poaching a team of lawyers from local firm Rajah & Tann and a project finance partner from Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe

The Rajah team is being led by highly acclaimed arbitrator Sundaresh Menon, who is one of the firm's executive partners. Although final details have not been confirmed, The Lawyer understands that Menon will be bringing between 12 and 18 other lawyers with him, including one other partner, Chong Yee Leong. The final decision on numbers is expected to be made within the next few days.

Menon made his name in Singapore in the mid-1990s when, as a government-appointed inspector, he co-authored 'The Barings Report' – the investigation into the collapse of Barings Bank.

At the same time, the firm has also appointed project finance partner Bruce Schulberg from the soon to be defunct office of Orrick.

“The hires are very much in keeping with Jones Day's objective of developing its practice in this region,” said Singapore managing partner Jai Pathak.

The Singapore office opened in 2001 and currently has four partners (not including the incoming Rajah lawyers).